Urban Design Criteria Research Articles

Heritage, urban form and spatial resignification in the production of sustainable Olympic legacies: an urban design analysis of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games

The Olympic Games have been associated with many urban transformation projects throughout their history, often focusing on city expansion. Recent sustainability concerns, however, constitute a pressing challenge, with the regeneration of central areas fulfilling a key role in existing urban agendas. In this paper, the legacy of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at two proposed centralities was analysed, namely, the Olympic Park, intended as a future neighbourhood to the west of the city, and Porto Maravilha (PM), an urban project aimed at revitalizing a central, historical area of the city. By comparing the Olympic Park and the first provided areas in PM, in terms of selecting urban design criteria through qualitative in loco assessments, this paper focused on analysing the impacts of urban forms and heritage on the consolidation of these two centralities, as well as encouraging social interaction and integration into the city. The analysis results indicated that urban design attributes such as human-scaled, mixed-use, context-based urban spaces could interfere with social interaction and the usability of spaces. Moreover, the repurposing of heritage buildings contributed to urban cohesion for legacy transformation. Hence, novel insights into urban design and heritage could become important for future editions of the Olympics so that host cities may fulfil their sustainability agendas.

Exploring the Role of Urban Design Development in Enhancing and Promoting Tourism of Historical Sites: The Case Study of Amman Citadel

Urban design development can play a vital role in enchaining and promoting tourism, by improving the physical infrastructure and creating a more pleasant and attractive environment for visitors. In this context, this paper discusses how urban design development can play a crucial role in increasing and promoting the tourism of historical sites. The paper focuses on the Amman Citadel site and analyses the challenges facing visitors and tourists. The study aims to highlight the possible urban strategies to develop the surrounding areas to increase site tourism. The study adopts an analytical case-study method by conducting a comprehensive literature review to build a theoretical framework, followed by analysing the site through observation and urban analysis. The goal is to propose a strategic plan based on urban design criteria for developing the surrounding areas and enhancing the site's touristic value. The study pointed out the importance of urban design as a key to increasing and promoting tourism as a whole and local tourism as a part. Furthermore, it set several recommendations to apply to the Amman Citadel area to enable its urban tourism development. Keywords: urban design, tourism, urban tourism, Amman Citadel

The intensification of short-duration rainfall extremes due to climate change – Need for a frequent update of intensity–duration–frequency curves

Numerous studies have investigated future changes in extreme precipitation by employing climate models. However, trends in extreme short-duration (20–180 min) rainfall intensities, that is, design storm rainfall intensities used for stormwater infrastructure design, have received considerably less attention despite their importance. This study quantified the effect of climate change on design storm intensity based on observations. Trends were investigated for diverse short-term rainfall durations, ranging from 20 to 180 min, at 11 meteorological stations in Northern Europe, Estonia. The Mann-Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator were used to detect trends and calculate the trend magnitudes by analyzing a 70 year period of high-resolution temporal observed rainfall data. The Sen’s slope indicated a positive magnitude of slopes for all the durations and stations investigated, and two stations in Northeast Estonia showed significantly increasing trends (p < 0.05). Unsurprisingly, the spatial distribution of trends revealed notable variations from station to station, as extreme rainfall events are heavily localized due to cloudburst. Despite this variety, it can be generalized that the annual maximum rainfall intensities in Estonia have increased at an average rate of 4 % per decade due to changing climate conditions, invariant of the rainfall duration analyzed. The use of decades enables to easily keep the intensity–duration–frequency curves updated, and it is more practical and relatable for engineers as well. The findings of this study provide critical knowledge for urban water management decision-makers, indicating the need to frequently update urban design criteria to design climate resilient urban infrastructure.

Investigation of Urban Design Approaches in Renewal Areas with Hybrid Decision Model

Generally, urban renewal practices in developing countries are formed by economic concerns and by ignoring the design dimension. As a result, these conditions create unqualified urban spaces in terms of livability. In this study, to analyze and evaluate this problem, a criterion framework and a hybrid spatial decision model are formed for improving the design quality of renewal projects. The authors defined 37 urban design criteria through literature research, expert opinions, and self-assessments. A multidisciplinary focus group was held and a paired comparison form was prepared to determine the criterion weights and suitability values with the used the fuzzy DEMATEL and weighted linear combination method. The values analyzed using ArcGIS 10.2 and the suitability values are shown on the map. As a result, it has been determined that even the highest valued among the examined renewal projects could not meet even 50% of the defined urban design quality standard. The results have emphasized that the urban renewal projects without area-specific and appropriate design solutions reveal that they cannot develop qualified places. Within the scope of realizing more qualified urban places, design criteria should also be taken into account in the project design processes. In future studies, this model can be used in determining the area-specific and appropriate design solution for spatial decision-makers.

Examining the Relationship Between Enclosure Ratio of Street and Skyline s Complexity

Purpose The urban design criteria significantly affect the visual quality of space. Enclosure and Complexity can be defined as two crucial urban design principles that affect the perceptibility and visual quality of space. This study aimed to offer an objective and perceptual evaluation method in assessing the street’s enclosure ratio. In the study, the street's enclosure ratio was evaluated via the street skyline's complexity. Design/Methodology/Approach According to the study's hypothesis, as the street's enclosure ratio increases, the street skyline's complexity level decreases. For testing this hypothesis, the street images were selected from the London and Chicago cities. Firstly, the skylines of the streets were determined on images, and then, the fractal dimensions of skylines were calculated. Then, the street’s enclosure ratio and the factors that affect street skyline's fractal dimension were measured with a defined measurement system. Subsequently, the relationship between the street’s enclosure ratio and calculated street skyline's fractal dimensions was examined by regression analysis. Findings As a result, it was determined that there is an inverse relationship between the street’s enclosure ratio and the street skyline’s fractal dimensions. As the enclosure ratio increases, the complexity of the skyline decreases. The decrease in the complexity level of the skyline weakens the visual quality and perceptibility of the street. Research Limitations In this study, the perceptual evaluation of the street’s enclosure ratio was examined with an objective method. This method can also be reinforced with a subjective evaluation and more precise results can be obtained. Social Implications The obtained results can provide important clues to increase the visual quality and perceptibility of the streets. In perceptible spaces with high visual quality, feelings such as liking, trust, belonging and comfort develop in people. Originality/Value The fractal approach as an objective method is used widely for perceptual evaluation of the complexity level in cities. However, it was determined that very few studies examined the street’s enclosure ratio with the perceptual and objective evaluation method. Perceptual evaluations of the enclosure were generally made with subjective methods. This study offered an objective and perceptual evaluation approach for examining the street’s enclosure ratio.

Which urban design parameters provide climate-proof cities? An application of the Urban Cooling InVEST Model in the city of Milan comparing historical planning morphologies

Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect has become one of the most significant hazards for cities, presenting a challenge for dense anthropic areas affected by climate change with enormous consequences for health and human well-being. Ecosystem Services (ES) are increasingly attracting attention for their use in setting urban design parameters and criteria which can be deployed in planning and projects, also considering the Cooling Capacity (CC) useful to mitigate heatwaves effect and high temperatures.The paper investigates how ES assessment could support the definition of urban design parameters influencing the CC of cities. We modelled CC in the city of Milan using InVEST software identifying the urban design criteria that most influence temperature and associated urban comfort. This empirical test was conducted by selecting different urban districts built during four main historical periods which correspond to four urban planning approaches, namely: 1) Città Berutiana; 2) Città Moderna; 3) Città anni ‘60-'70 and 4) Città Contemporanea. Results demonstrate how different urban planning approaches have shaped the design of the city in terms of green areas, permeability, built-up footprint, and tree density and cover while influencing the CC of the system.

Relation Between Urban Design and Citizens’ Perception. Case Study Biobio Riverside Park, Concepción, Chile

This research analyses the impact of urban design on the vitality of public space. For the above, it explores the experience of inhabitants throughout indicators. This analysis allows us to identify relations between urban design and the perception of people inhabiting the place; identifying elements that favour or diminish the vitality of urban public spaces. As a case study, the Biobio Riverside Park, in Concepción, Chile, was selected. Based on its condition of being an attractive project, well located and designed; however, absent from activities and appropriation. The article researches bibliographically about some aspects of urban design, which modify the perception of inhabitants concerning the urban environment. Subsequently, several authors are analysed to identify the main urban design criteria considered for the development of an appropriate public space. With this background a methodological tool is constructed, to evaluate the perception of the inhabitants in relation to various urban design factors. Its application is done through surveys and planimetric analysis in the field. Finally, the survey and planimetry data were analysed simultaneously, in order to recognize the main elements of urban design, conditioning the vitality of the riverside park. Among the main results, security, accessibility, and diversity of activities emerge as the most influential urban design factors in the vitality of public space. Simultaneously, a clear difference between the participants’ perception is identified, depending on the proximity of their residence to the case study. This implies that both the sense of appropriation, as well as the sense of security and the attractiveness of the urban landscape, are determining aspects of perception, to promote the vitality of public space.

تقییم جودة الفراغات الحضریة بالجزر النیلیة بمحافظة أسوان (جزر، هیسا، الإلفنتین، عواض، سهیل کدراسة حالة)

There are many factors that influence the urban structure and the visual image of Nile islands in Aswan. These islands represent domains that have distinguished urban and planning character. Most of these islands have changed through the time because of the city growth and the social, economic, technological and administrative factors. Some of these islands are inhabited and include built environment, human activities and unique perceptual experiences. Nile islands in Aswan governorate suffer from many urban problems in terms of visual and functional issues due to lack of proper development. Accordingly, the migration from islands to cities increases. These islands have lost their touristic importance despite of their unique natural and heritage features. Most of the available research focused on the Nile islands which are located in the Greater Cairo Region while ignoring the islands that are located in Upper Egypt. This paper aims to analyze and evaluate the current situation of urban spaces in four populated Nile islands in Aswan. The current problems are classified according to the extent of meeting qualitative urban design criteria. This criteria includes wide range of factors such as variety, permeability, legibility, accessibility and vitality. Additionally, the evaluation includes the criteria of sustainability of urban spaces which have been clarified by the Green Pyramid Rating System in order to develop the objectiveness of this evaluation. The paper concludes with a set of critical observation and conclusions regarding the Nile islands in Aswan.

Intervenciones en paisajes urbanos residuales: en búsqueda de una gramática para los espacios olvidados

Beginning from the reconstruction process of the Chilean earthquake and tsunami of February 27, 2010, it was generated the need of an intervention on those rings and bags of residual urban space, the most affected areas, because of their relation with the landscape. For this purpose, a new landscape planning was developed in order to propose new public space and to integrate concepts of mitigation through green urban belts, generating the concept of mitigation parks. Those residual urban spaces that the expansion of our cities have generated over ecologically vulnerable territories, in the measure of having been treated with sustainable criteria, will develop value no just in landscape design terms, but also as a potential sustainable public space capable of a dialogue with the natural environment. Methodologically, this study analyzed a relevant sample of the main urban projects of this type in the regions of Maule and Biobio, Chile, analyzing goods and wrongs in the process. In that way, it was established a series of general urban design criteria in order to generate an intervention that guarantee a better relationship between the urban landscape and natural environment.

Learning by Doing in Architectural Education: From Urban Design to Architectural Design, Yenikapı-İnebey Case Study

This paper reports a 2 semester study conducted with 74 undergraduate students of Architecture at the Istanbul Kultur University to investigate the extent of architectural design students’ use of urban design information in their projects by learning by doing method. In the first semester, students performed a comprehensive analysis of the Yenikapi-Inebey Quarter of Istanbul in terms of urban design criteria. In the second semester, students were given the task of creating a massing study of an architectural design project which was not constrained in terms of function, hmax or building coefficient, near the project site. This was followed by an open ended question to identify the criteria which influenced the designs of the students. The results of the research reveal that, in terms of learning by doing method, the students are competent to carry the knowledge and aspects of urban design to the lower scales of design.

DESIGNING TOWARDS A FIRE-RESISTANT NEIGHBORHOOD IN SURABAYA, INDONESIA

The way the built environment is shaped greatly affects its performance in providing a container of activities for its users. Being the second largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta, Surabaya has very high population and building density. Though the city is not prone to any natural disasters, the current population and building density make it prone to man-made disasters such as flooding and urban fires. This study was built on the idea that good environmental design can lower urban fire vulnerability. Built environment components were identified using Lynch’s urban design criteria while Cai and Wang provided basic guidance to the redesign of the built environment with their Safety-based Urban Design idea. The outcome of this endeavor was an environmental design approach that applied psychological safety, behavioral safety, defense for safety and safety against disaster values into the built environment’s paths, edges, nodes, districts and landmarks. This paper concludes that good environmental design can improve resilience by intervening in all stages of a disaster or an emergency situation. It can support mitigation efforts thus increasing disaster preparedness. Environmental design can also make a difference in responding to an emergency situation. The most likely approach to improving resilience in urban areas is to acknowledge both anthropogenic and bio-physic aspects that make up the environment. Urban fire awareness must be raised as the physical environment is shaped one component at a time.

Konsep Perancangan Dalam Meningkatkan Kualitas Lingkungan Fisik Kawasan Perdagangan dan Jasa Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Kota Salatiga

Kawasan Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Salatiga telah memiliki karakter yang kuat dan berfungsi strategissebagai kawasan komersial. Dengan hadirnya pasar modern dan hotel berbintang disamping pasartradisional, kawasan ini sekarang merupakan pemain di pasar regional. Namun demikian, peningkatanintensitas kegiatan yang terjadi tidak diimbangi perbaikan daya dukung kawasan sehingga munculkerusakan sarana‐prasarana publik, permasalahan lalu lintas dan aktivitas sektor informal yang kurangtertata sehingga berpotensi mengarah pada penurunan kualitas lingkungan fisik. Permasalahanpermasalahantersebut dapat terakumulasi dan menurunkan daya saing kota, untuk itu penelitian iniberusaha merumuskan konsep perancangan kota yang tepat melalui perancangan deskriptif kualitatifuntuk mengembalikan kualitas lingkungan kawasan Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Salatiga. Konsepperancangan dirumuskan berdasarkan kriteria‐kriteria perancangan kota yang baik menggunakananalisis SWOT untuk mengakomodasi potensi kekuatan, kelemahan, kesempatan, dan ancaman diwilayah studi. Analisis menyarankan konsep perancangan Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Salatiga yangaplikatif meliputi komponen‐komponen: penyediaan sarana dan prasarana yang manusiawi, penataansektor informal yang lebih baik, serta penataan lalu lintas.Kata kunci : pusat kota, kawasan perdagangan dan jasa, konsep perancangan, kualitas lingkunganfisik

Modelling the compact city: capacities and visions for Melbourne

The metropolitan planning strategy ‘Melbourne 2030’ was released by the Victorian state government in 2002 as a major step towards a low-carbon city and a counter to urban sprawl; it provides for intensification of land-use within an urban growth boundary focused on activity centres and transit-oriented development. It is now widely acknowledged that this policy has not been implemented, while the growth boundary has been expanded substantially. A primary reason for this failure is the government's fear of negative electoral reaction if Melbourne's much-loved urban ‘character’ is transformed. There has been a lack of both capacity modelling to show where and how the existing fabric can be densified, and of realistic urban design visions that might stimulate the electorate's imagination. This paper has two aims: first, to quantify the capacities for compact growth and, secondly, to use these measures as frameworks for understanding the urban design opportunities embodied in them. Using a combination of GIS mapping and digital modelling tools, scenarios based on transit-related planning principles and urban design criteria are explored as a basis for understanding resident responses. A key finding of this study is that Melbourne does not need a particularly radical change to its built form to achieve substantial increases in gross density. Modest height limits in activity centres and of 4–5 storeys along transit lines are easily enough to accommodate the projected population growth within the existing built-up area. We suggest that if height controls can be properly enforced then this can be achieved democratically and without significant electoral backlash.

Regenerative French Urbanism: Sustainable Planning Strategies in Lille, Lyon, and Montpellier

Abstract Sustainability engages a complex and nuanced spectrum of issues when it shifts from the realm of architecture to that of urbanism. Individual building compliance is typically measured by objective physical design traits and performance criteria. By contrast, sustainable urban design must respond to historical, political and cultural contexts while simultaneously addressing overarching concerns such as land use and energy efficiency. The resulting urban mandate is neither formulaic nor nostalgic. Rather, it is grounded in the natural alignment of established urban design criteria—emphasizing concentrated, vital city centers as the physical, economic and social focus of urban life—with sustainable principles of compact development and controlled growth. This paper explores the adaptability of these principles to a range of urban contexts, through case studies of several French cities that have experienced significant new development in the past several decades. Planning for recent growth in Lille, ...

HONG KONG: A REVIEW OF DENSITY, URBAN FORM AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

In Hong Kong, high-rise High-density urban form is the result of land scarcity and massive in-migration (Figure 1). However, the creation of its unique urban form has rarely been underpinned by sustainable development criteria, nor, arguably, urban design criteria. Increasingly, the quality of life that it offers is becoming an important issue. Density is thus a critical issue for Hong Kong with urban forms at both extremes of the density spectrum. This paper presents a case study evidence in order to highlight density related issues and policies. The paper adopted a methodology, which focuses on theoretical underpinning of the available data mainly empirical in nature.